A Bond That Never Breaks
by ShadowLovely
Summary: Formally known as ShadowsNite! Arrellane Cadence Zabini. Twin sister to Blaise Baivel Zabini. And betrothed to Draco Xavier Malfoy. Who is this person and what does she have to do with 'Harry Potter? Well she is none other than Hermione Jean Granger..
1. Chapter 1: Sacrifice

Hello everyone! As you can see I'm back with a...different take on my story. So its undergoing mass editing. Though that's really just an exaggeration seeing as I only have/had 2 chapters out ;

Anywho, I hope you enjoy this new take :)

Summery: _Arrellane_ _Cadence Zabini. Twin sister to Blaise Baivel Zabini. And betrothed to Draco Xavier Malfoy. Who is this person and what does she have to do with 'Harry Potter'? Why she is none other than Hermione Anna Granger of course! Shocking isn't it? Just wait until Hermione finds out. . ._

**A Bond That Never Breaks**

**Prologue: Torn Apart**

**ShadowLovely**

**& ( ) Muggle London.**

A sharp _crack_ is heard throughout the quiet neighborhood of Muggle London. Swiftly, a cloaked figure is seen walking across the deserted street, a small bundle held protectively in his arms.

At a closer look the figure seemed to be about 6'10" and had long, blond hair that was tied in a black ribbon at the base of his neck, and had, at the moment, soft gray-blue eyes, glossy with unshed tears.

The figure, was none other than Lucius Kataïev Malfoy

In his arms, he held a baby girl. She was his goddaughter and how he wished he didn't have to do what he had come to Muggle London to do. Her family, along with his, had gone over the current...situation several times and had not come up with a very promising solution. Almost all of them ended in the baby girl dying or being turned into Voldemort's personal servant, her coming beauty would be too much to overlook. He shuddered at the thought of his darling Arrellane becoming a servant to his 'Lords' whims. No, this was the only way. No matter how heart breaking it was. This needed to be done.

Sighing to himself, he whispered an everlasting glamour charm on the girl. Her beautiful black perfectly curly hair bled reddish brown, her curls twisting wildly around her delicate face. Her stunning sapphire-blue eyes melted into a curious hazelnut brown that shone radiantly from the street lights. They locked onto those of her carrier, as if questioning his motives. Sighing again he transfigured his cloak into a basket –complete with baby blanket– and set her in it as gently as he could.

"My little Arrellane, how I wish we could be there with you, watching you grow into the fine woman I know you will become. Please, never forget your family. We will find you as soon as my 'Lord' is vanquished. We will come for our darling Arrellane." At this he let the tears fall. Standing in his spot for longer than he needed to, he bent and clasped a silver bracelet around her tiny wrist. On it were the initials 'A.C.Z. Never forget'. As a final touch he pulled out the letter he was supposed to attach to the 'package'.

_"Our Dear Child,_

_Please understand that this choice did not come easily. We tried thinking of every way to keep you but we could find none that would guarantee your permanent safety. We are truly sorry and deeply remorseful for abandoning you like this, we can only imagine the pain and confusion you feel upon reading this. We hope your adoptive parents have treated you well and have given you all the love you deserve. We are eternally indebted to them for your continued happiness all these years. _

_Attached to this letter and basket are 100 Galleons (which at the current rate will equal that of £100,000). It is for anything your foster parents may need help with regarding the…delicacy of your background. Please understand darling Arrellane, just because we gave you up to strangers does not mean we do not love you. I fear your biological family will never be the same after this night, but our world is no place for an innocent young woman to grow up in. Much less be used in the ways we fear the Dark Lord has planned for you. We hope to see you soon._

_Love always,_

CAZ, TGZ, BBZ, NEM, LKM and DXM"

With another great sigh he apparated back to Malfoy Manor where everyone was waiting for him.

At the sight of her husbands' best friend, Cathryn Ariel Zabini broke into heart wrenching sobs. Lucius Malfoy didn't so much as glance at his wife as he just went to the nursery where his son, godson, the little Parkinson girl, the Nott boy and the Greengrass daughters were currently playing.

As he opened the door all eyes watched him curiously albeit with a hint of sadness in each of their young faces, though they were young they knew the consequences of the actions their parents had taken this night. A somber tension filled the nursery, the young girls crying silently as they gathered around the blonde patriarch and his godson. Bitter tears fell from Lucius Malfoy's eyes that night as he held tightly to Draco and Blaise. They too were close to tears as they understood how the once happy group of Purebloods was shattered by the loss of their almost sister.

With a resigned sigh, Lucius set down the two babes and made his way to the parlor where the depressed group of close friends sat and whispered amongst themselves. Cathryn had calmed her sobs to pitiful hiccups, smiling weakly at the women gathered around her offering what little comfort they could. Taddeo Zabini currently slouched in a cushy armchair, a scotch held firmly in his hands as his surrounding mates made jokes in an attempt to cheer up their downtrodden friend. Upon his entrance, all eyes turned to Lucius with varied degrees of wariness etched on their faces. "You are all aware of the circumstances," he began, his voice hoarse from emotion, "with the temporary fall of Tom Riddle and the prophecy concerning us and the Potter's, Arrellane has been placed into the protective custody of a very prominent Muggle orphanage. For the time being, we will watch over the youngest Potter, hide Sirius Black until we can prove his innocence, find Pettigrew and destroy him and –most important –begin training our children in all that we know by the time they become First Years." As he continued to speak of their plans, his voice grew more solid his confidence rising until he spoke in the familiar aristocratic drawl that was customary when dealing with Lucius Malfoy. Despite the confident ring in his voice, tears still fell from his face, only to be calmed slightly when his wife engulfed him in a tender hug.

In a hidden corner, Albus Dumbledore stood silent. He agreed with the elder Malfoy on all accounts save the one concerning the orphaned Harry Potter. "Lucius," his gravelly voice rang out, startling many from their somber reveries. "the boy must be given to the only family he has left. The Dursley's are—"

"The reason muggle society is declining." Cathryn interrupted, surprising everyone. As a once trusted friend of Lily Potter, Cathryn was well acquainted with the hostility that is Petunia Evans-Dursley and her bigot of a husband (having accompanied Lily when she secretly visited the Dursley's in an attempt to repair their lost familial ties). "Albus, if you send the boy to them there is no telling what kind of damage –emotional or otherwise- they will do to our Savior!" She stood, her beautiful face flushed in anger. "I gave up my only daughter for the _chance_ of eternal peace, Albus Dumbledore! I will not allow you to let an orphaned child live with such terrible people. Not while I still draw breath or my heart beats."

A wry smile lit the faces of all in attendance at the passion behind Cathryn's unorthodox speech. Still Albus was adamant in his claim. "The boy will be safer if he knows nothing of the Wizarding world."

"And what of his inheritance? Would you deny an orphaned boy, the esteem of the Potter name and all of its influence?" Lucius cut in again, his grey-blue orbs narrowing, thoroughly prepared to argue for the Potter boys rights of his name and all of its knowledge and wealth.

"A compromise, then?" Arion Nott intercepted, having not the patience to watch men bicker in such grave times. "Let the boy live with these…Dursley's and we will hire someone to watch over them from afar. If any act of violence is reported against them regarding Mr. Potter we will intervene. And that can be anywhere from sending him to the Orphanage Arrellane is currently registered at, or send him to Sirius Black after we have thoroughly proven him innocent, _again_. Are we in agreement?" There was an exhausted murmur of agreement, the fight in everyone having drained from their tired bodies, leaving them all emotionally incapacitated. The time for arguments and disunity was passing. The social elite would raise their children differently than how they themselves had been raised. It had taken years to finally see the truth, but when it finally became obvious just how petty blood prejudice was they all took a Wizards Oath to raise their children to see the truth.

* * *

A/N So there it is. My new version of A Bond That Never Breaks.

R&R please, criticisms are always welcome ;]


	2. Chapter 2: Growing Up

**Chapter 1: Growing Up**

**A Bond That Never Breaks**

**ShadowLovely**

**& ( ) 3 years later**

Four old Hermione No-Last-Name sighed dejectedly as she stared out the window watching as the family who interviewed her not ten minutes ago, walk away empty handed. '_That makes six.'_ She thought forlornly, mentally checking off the list of families she could remember that interviewed her. She had done it again, in her excitement to be adopted something…_strange_ had happened: the walls had painted themselves to match the playground she had been describing to her would-be-parents. The beautiful playground with its colorful gardens and laughing children was a beacon of hope to the orphans of Angel's House of Lil House Angels. There they were able to play with kids who had parents and listen to the stories the older kids told them about what it was like to have a family. So of course, when a prospective family had asked her about it, the walls had painted the picture for her when her extensive vocabulary (she was currently at a second grade reading level) had failed her. Naturally, like the three others before them, the prospective parents had freaked and ran out on her.

In her hands, she gripped tightly to the framed note her real family had left her with. It was her lifeline among the craziness that was living in an orphanage and hoping beyond hope that they would one day find families who loved them the way they'd always dreamed. To her, the letter alluded to something far greater than that of living in an orphanage. Hermione No-Last-Name was destined for greatness and when she figured out what that greatness was, she would dominate it. Still, childish worries ate away at her determination to be great. Did her real parents not want her? No, of course they did. The letter said so and right now that letter was all that mattered. They had said it was too dangerous for her to live in their World. They said they loved her very much and they only hoped that her adoptive parents loved her "the way you deserve". It was such a vague way of writing, and though Hermione No-Last-Name was very smart for her age, she couldn't help but wonder if it meant that her foster parents should hate her. There were certain phrases and words in her letter that both frightened and confused her. For instance, what in the world was a Galleon? Who was the Dark Lord her family so feared? And what was the "delicacy of her background"?

A knock sounded, making Hermione hastily wipe her eyes, hiding the tears she didn't know were leaking from her eyes, and hoping it wasn't too obvious that she had been crying. The attempt failed, and soon she was wrapped safely in the arms of Angel, the woman who owned the orphanage. "Did it happen again?" Angel whispered quietly, smoothing the child's wild hair and kissing it gently. Hermione didn't answer, the walls were answer enough, instead she buried her small face into Angel's neck and sobbed quietly. "I..! I'll n-n-never be a-ado-pted!" She wailed, holding fast to her lifeline. "M-my own p-p-parents didn't even want me! Wh-why sh-should anyone else?" She sobbed, her emotions getting the best of her and making her reveal her own fears despite the evidence she had against them.

Angel sighed, and hugged the crying girl to her. This was the first time Hermione had openly admitted her fears and though Angel was proud of her, she had been secretly worried about the child who hid behind mountains of books until it was time to go the playground just up the street. "Oh, Mya don't say that. You know that's not true, your parents wanted you very much, that Letter you have is proof of that. But you know sometimes things in life happen and you can't change the outcome no matter how much you wish. Your parents are probably beside themselves in grief, which means you need to honor their sacrifice and be the best that you can be in all that you do." Angel soothed, before plucking herself loose from the child's tight hold. "Come, it's time for lunch and then another interview. The Granger's look very promising…"

* * *

"HARRY! Get your sad carcass out from that cupboard and come make breakfast!" Petunia Dursley shouted, banging on the flimsy wooden door that led to Harry Potter's…living quarters. With a frightened shout, the young Savior of the Wizarding world leapt from his cot and dived out of cupboard, nearly running over his Aunt in his haste to get to the kitchen and prepare a meal for his family.

He was a frail boy of now 5 years old (today was his birthday, he knew), suffering from malnourishment and physical abuse. Scars and callous' marred his hands and arms, evidence of lessons learned about how to properly work a stove or oven and what to expect when cooking greasy bacon and eggs. He wore rags for clothes, hand me downs of his cousin Dudley who made sure to ruin all of his clothes by the time they were passed to young Harry. Upon his small face, he wore rounded glasses much too big for him and also with the wrong prescription, making him squint his emerald green eyes every time he looked at something up close. As of this moment, the young Mr. Potter trembled in fear as he began the morning ritual expected of him: wash hands and face, then cook standard breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast and juice.

It was the first day of school for himself and Dudley, so Petunia was quick to hover over Harry and make sure he didn't mess anything up. Which, for a five year old boy, was bound to happen. A lot. So it came as no surprise when Dudley came bounding down the stairs running into small Harry (who tightly gripped the still sizzling pan of bacon as he made his way to the breakfast table) and causing the feeble boy to fall over. His hand dipped painfully into the smoldering pan of greasy food as he attempted to break his fall, the skin of a young child standing no chance against the heat quickly turned the furious red of a first degree burn and blistering along his fingers and palm. With a cry of pain, Harry snatched his hand away clutching it to his chest as he ran to the sink to wash under cold water. All the while his Aunt and Uncle shouted furiously at him, blatantly ignoring their nephew's tears.

When they realized Harry was paying them no mind, Vernon Dursley did the unthinkable. With a bellow of rage (shouting obscenities about the unnaturalness that Harry is), Vernon clenched his fist, gripped Harry's ratty shirt and threw him against the stove. His pain-filled cries filled the house as his uncle lost himself in his rage. Vernon's fists were flying, his leg displacing the space around him as he swung it to kick the small boy anywhere he could reach. Sharp _cracks_ were heard as Harry's right leg was broken in three places, four ribs were fractured and his arm dislocated when he tried to run away and was pulled back rather forcefully. But the mindless rage encompassing Vernon only increased when he realized that Harry's magic was healing him.

Thankfully, right before Vernon could take a swing at poor Harry's head, a _crack _reminiscent of thunder was heard in the entry hallway revealing a man with platinum blonde hair tied back in a leather band holding a wand menacingly. He stepped forward with ominous grace, his aristocratic features fixed in an angry scowl as he stunned the abusive Muggle with a simple flick of his wand. Behind him stood a woman with two-tone blonde and black hair that was done up in an elegant French twist, tendrils of hair falling to frame her delicate features. She too held a wand, but she didn't raise it until she reached the sobbing boy who was curled into a fetal position. Slowly, she placed a soothing hand atop the boys head and murmured comforting nonsense in his ear as she healed him. While she worked, the man set to _obliviating_ the Dursley's, making sure they would never remember who Harry Potter was. "Cathryn warned us this would happen…" He whispered, mostly to himself but also loud enough for his wife to hear. With a sigh, the woman stood holding an unconscious Harry in her arms much the way she held her own son. "What should we do with him? It isn't safe to bring him into our World yet. Not with the Lestrange's breathing down our necks."

"I concur," her husband mumbled walking over to his wife and leading her out of the house. "Perhaps, we should take him to the same orphanage we placed Arrellane in?" He queried an unbearable pain flashing in his eyes at the mention of his lost goddaughter.

With a resigned sigh, they nodded and apparated to the stoop of Angel's House Of Lil House Angels, with yet another bundle in their arms to give away.

* * *

Two weeks after Harry's arrival into Angel's protective custody found our Savior sitting on a swing in the playground so many of his roommates revered. He was an outcast here as well, he noticed, having only one friend who came by everyday at four p.m. on the dot. But today she hadn't showed up at all, and he was left alone on the swing set for the two hours he was allowed to play here. With a sigh, he followed the other children and headed in the direction of his orphanage. A frown played on his boyish features as he wondered what could have happened to his best friend this day, it wasn't like her to be late to anything and he wondered if something terrible had happened to her. However, the confusion (and panic) soon left him when he saw Hermione 'No-Last-Name' Granger and her new parents standing on the stoop of Angel's House of Lil House Angels grinning like the Cheshire from Wonderland.

He didn't have time to even open his mouth before she barreled into him, hugging him tightly and talking so fast he couldn't understand. Confused, he turned his gaze to Hermione's parents, hoping they would offer an explanation to her enthusiasm. It came when Angel walked out with a blue folder in her hand and a positively radiant smile on her face. It was the "Adoption" smile, he realized with a thudding heart and wide eyes when he recognized the file as his own. He stared dumbly as Angel handed his file over to the Granger's, nodded mutely when Angel came to kissed him goodbye. His only reaction was when Dr. Granger came and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and uttered the words every foster child wanted to hear: "Let's go home, son."

No, nothing was wrong with Hermione Granger and her family. They had just made his most heartfelt wish come true.

Harry Potter, soon-to-be Savior of the Wizarding World, was finally going home to a family that would love him unconditionally. Unnatural or not.

* * *

"Again." The steel cold voice of Lucius Malfoy ordered. Before him knelt a panting Draco Malfoy of seven years old. It was one year to the day that he and Narcissa had saved Harry Potter from a life of abuse at the hands of the Dursley's and as far as they knew, he was happily living his life with Muggles of a kinder disposition.

"B-but Dad-!" His son panted, trying and failing to stand. As promised, Lucius Malfoy had started to train his son in every available martial art and weaponry. Already Draco was proving to be a prodigy in the area of swordsmanship and archery, but he was having difficulty mastering the novice set of jiu-jitsu. And his father was determined to have Draco master it before lunch time.

"No, my son, your form must be perfect. As a Malfoy much is expected of you, _perfection_ is expected of you, more so now that the Family has taken their place amongst the Light. They will need warriors, my son, warriors well versed in every form of combat Muggle and Magical, Dark and Light. You must learn to use any and all means to achieve your ends, Draco. Now, run it again." Lucius smirked, glowing in pride as he watched his son steel himself in the duration of his short speech. The Dojo master nodded approvingly as he squared off with the Malfoy heir once again and noticed the new fire in his grey-blue eyes. Draco Malfoy was indeed a prodigy and he would have mastered the katas of intermediate jiu-jitsu before the summer's end.

In no time at all, Narcissa Malfoy née Black made her entrance into the grand dojo, followed closely by several House Elves holding several refreshments and lunch trays for the family. Sitting herself to the left of her husband she watched her son with great interest, pride and love glowing in her eyes. "How goes his training?" She murmured, careful to keep her voice down so as not to disturb the session.

Lucius offered her a sideways glance, careful not to take his eyes away from his only son for too long. "Everyday he grows stronger, more determined and more disciplined. It is easy to forget he is only seven. I am thankful to you for maintaining his childhood when he isn't training, darling Cissy." He uttered, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles, smiling when he saw her cheeks flush in that beautiful rose color he loved.

"He is just a boy, Lucius, we must maintain his innocence for as long as possible. When the Dark Lord makes his return, that innocence will shatter, just as it did for us. We can only hope he is disciplined enough to resist where we could not." Narcissa said, smiling sadly at her husband. They had been fools to accept Voldemort's Mark, they may as well have handed over their free-will to him on a silver platter. They would stop their progeny from making the same mistake they did. They only hoped he would forgive them once Voldemort made his return.

A heavy _thud_ broke them from their depressing thoughts and as one they looked to the center of the dojo to find Draco panting above his fallen Sensei. When he turned to his parents he smiled at the looks of pride and awe on their faces when they realized what happened.

Yes, Draco Xavier Malfoy would indeed triumph where his parents had failed.

* * *

"The turning event of the Goblin Rebellion, how was it settled?" His instructor droned, brown eyes flat as he studied his prized student.

"1272, April 23rd. Gorknack the Vast had just taken Godric Gryffindor's sword from Hogwarts. It was only through extensive negotiations after the Rebellion that the last Gryffindor retook the family possession." Seven year old Blaise Zabini answered, knowing to keep his answers short and to the point.

"Correct," A hint of satisfaction in that flat voice that the Zabini heir would later boast to his friends in the privacy of their playroom. "Final question: what will you get if you mix shredded dried Skin of a Boomslang and pulverized blades of KnotGrass?" A difficult combination for a rather advanced Potion, but it was no challenge for the seven year old scion of the Zabini fortunes. "Poly Juice Potion, sir." No hesitation, this was a review of the past months tutelage. He was expected to be well versed in the History of Magic and Potions by the end of the year along with the rest of the Purebloods working in secret for the Order. However, as the unofficial leader of the Shadows (a name Draco had thought of one spring day after observing how sunlight flirted with tree leaves) he was the first to be introduced to the private tutors the Zabini and Nott's had hired. Blaise's performance would set the bar for the rest of the Shadows when they came in for their lessons.

"Congratulations, Mr. Zabini," Professor Kronos acceded, nodding his approval as he finished writing the final score on the parchment he always seemed to carry with him. "Perfect marks; as expected of a Shadow."

"Thank you, sir." Blaise allowed the emotional mask to fall for a moment to smile happily as his teacher. While Lady Parkinson had begun to teach the Shadows the basics of emotion concealment, the Pureblood Lords and Ladies understood that, as children, they wouldn't be able to go past the basics until they were ready for Hogwarts, by which they will be able to focus all of their attention on Harry Potter and helping him save the world.

The creak of the library doors hinges alerted teacher and student to a new arrival. "Mother," Blaise greeted happily after making out the form of the woman who birthed him. Walking briskly to her and taking the tray she held, he ushered her into the armchair closest to the fire place and deftly set the food tray on the coffee table in front of her. Placing a kiss on her cheek, he smiled proudly when she beamed at him after reading over his newest test score. "Your father will be proud of these marks, my son," She smiled, reaching for his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "But no one is more proud than your, _mamma_." She winked at him, chuckling quietly when she spotted her husband enter the library after exchanging pleasantries with Kronos.

Taddeo Zabini scowled when he heard his wife's playful jibe and sat next to his son, taking the cookie Blaise had just grabbed and stuffed it in his mouth in a way that would have many in high Society scandalized. Grinning at his sons protest and accompanying scowl, he ruffled his sons wavy hair in a show of affection that was allowed only in personal company. "Professor Kronos tells me you're absorbing his lessons like those Muggle sponges Arthur Weasley is so fascinated by. He fully expects you to be a walking encyclopedia by the time you're a First Year." There was nothing but pride and laughter dripping from Taddeo's baritone accent. And the tone was quick to have their son preening like a peacock at the praise.

"I will not disappoint you, _babbo,_" Blaise vowed, steel forming in his mocha irises as they met their likeness in his sire. What followed were hugs and reassurances, that no matter what happened, _Babbo_ and _Mamma_ would always be proud of their son.

And so the Zabini's sat, talking and laughing in their sizeable library until bell chimes sounded the time for dinner. As always, Blaise led the family to Arrellane's room when they relit the candles that sat atop the windowsills of her private suite that led to the balcony overlooking Cathryn Zabini's private garden. A moment of silence for which to honor their lost sister and daughter before Blaise whispered, "_Alla luce vostra strada di casa, Arrellane."_

* * *

"Siri… Sirius wake up." A soothing voice called to him, sparking many happy memories in the back of his mind. He blinked slowly, trying to pull away from the haze of strife the Dementors encased his mind in and acknowledge the voice that called to him so. A corporeal Patronus blinded him momentarily, but when his eyes adjusted and he found himself staring at a leopard. Not sure what to make of this he squinted pass the prowling cat and tried to make out the blurred image of one Narcissa Malfoy. "Ci…Cissy?" He croaked, his voice rough from years of disuse. He coughed and cleared his throat, moving to approach the bars that separated him from his cousin. He was met with a beatific smile and a soft hand placed on his shoulder. "It's me, Sirius. I've come to release you." She said, before removing her arm and vanishing the bars that held her cousin captive for nine long years.

He stared at her, eyes awed but wary. Narcissa Black had been an impressionable child, never one to think on her own or question the beliefs of their family. As far as Sirius remembered, she had embraced the pureblood elitist mindset so it was a conundrum that it was Narcissa who would be the one to release him. "What's the catch, Cissy?" He said, standing but not moving from his spot. Amusement flashed in her blue-green eyes, but she merely shook her head. "A lions heart you may have, Sirius," She said smirking at her cousin, "but that cunning mind of yours is as Slytherin as any. Now come. We broke into the Potter's vault" –She ignored his cry of outrage– "and found some rather interesting information concerning you and the true Secret Keeper of their home." She paused and grabbed his arm following her leopard as it led them out of the wizarding prison.

"I admit, for a Gryffindor, it was a rather genius idea. But anyone with half a brain would be suspicious of you being the Potter's Secret Keeper." Here she paused long enough to smack his arm, "It was too obvious Sirius, you let your Gryffindor heart cloud your judgment. Everyone knew how close you were to James; it was downright brainless for you to let them tell Dumbledore that _you_ were their Keeper. We told Albus that he shouldn't trust them–that it was too obvious a plot–but did the old coot listen? Of course not, he never really trusted you–what with you being a Black and all–but he should have trusted your loyalties at the very least. Can you imagine? _You,_ Sirius Black, disloyal to James Potter? The very thought is laughable." She chuckled to herself as if to prove a point, glancing at her cousin and smiling at his stunned expression. "This is probably very confusing for you isn't it? Narcisssa Malfoy –wife of a renowned Death Eater –come to prove your innocence. I assure you, I was a pureblood elitist in our younger years, but it's rather hard to think yourself above muggle-borns when someone like Lily Evan's is made Head Girl. Of course, she was after my time at Hogwarts but the concept is still the same. Lucius had a difficult time accepting it too, but by then we were already in too deep.

"After He vanished, we could all breathe a sigh of relief. Of course there were still a few followers for us to worry about, the Carrow siblings and Bellatrix namely. They found out about the Zabini's being double agents–we suspect that toerag Pettigrew has something to do with it–and they had to give up their daughter and fake her death after her second attempt at kidnapping. It was a terrible time for us all, Cathryn may never get over the loss of it." Narcissa sighed, a wistful expression on her face, before she shook her head. "But I digress, it took a considerable amount of cunning to form the plan we did to get you out of this forsaken prison. No one would listen to reason, to many you were a scapegoat. We had to bribe so many of the Wizengamot councilors and even threaten a few of the others." A wry smile flitted across her tiers, "Corruption in our government is so blatant these days it's a wonder there hasn't been a revolt yet. Anywho, that cow Umbridge kept getting in our way but after we got pass her, getting you an actual trial was a piece of cake. Merlin only knows the strings we had to pull to get into the Potter's vault though. We don't know whose idea it was to have the Potter's write letters to young Harry and proving your innocence, but whoever did certainly made our job a lot easier. We had to have the Goblins handle everything; getting you a trial was hard enough without being accused of tampering with evidence." She rolled her eyes, her expression falling into a hard mask as they passed the Auror's who guarded the entrance to Azkaban. After a few moments of walking in silence, Narcissa pulled out her wand, and turned to her cousin who was immediately wary. "We're going to the Manor first to get you cleaned up, Siri. Your trial is in a few weeks."

It was in those three weeks that Sirius Black learned the truth of the Shadows and their hopes for the future. In no time at all, Sirius came to know the Purebloods as personally as he did the Marauders (much to Severus' displeasure). Occasionally Sirius could be found amongst the children, enlightening them all of his adventures during his Hogwarts years and letting them revel in their withering childhood. Never did he forget his godson, and the night before his trial, he sat with the Shadows and their families and told them all his hopes and dreams for Harry Potter should the trial end badly.

On March 2nd, 1989, Sirius Black was released of all charges both Muggle and Magical and set out to find his godson and Remus Lupin while the manhunt for Peter Pettigrew began.

* * *

Hermione Granger sat crying in the middle of the hospital lobby. She favored her right bicep, whimpering at the pain and sight of her blood. A dog had attacked her earlier while she read under the tree of her backyard. It had been unprovoked as far as her almost-nine year old brain could understand; she had looked up at the sound of growling and after staring at the feral eyes of a wild German Shepherd, she had slowly moved to her feet forcing her muscles to relax so as not to instigate the huge animal. Harry had walked out then, holding a snack for her and had stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of a wild dog so close to his sister. He had whispered her name, his voice solid with only the barest hint of a quiver, and when Hermione had turned her frightened eyes on him the dog had attacked. Before Harry or Hermione could use any of their unnaturalness to save the Granger girl the dog had sunk its teeth into Hermione's arm leaving a jagged wound in its wake. Hermione's magic had flared at the attack, gold aura flashing out and shielding her as another dog, this time a black lab, jumped from the hedges and attacked the feral Shepherd. Digging sharp canines into the scruff of the German Shepherds neck and forcing it back so Harry and Dr. Granger could get to Hermione unhindered.

The rest was a bit of a blur after that, their parents had freaked and rushed to the nearest hospital nearly killing them all with Dr. Granger's erratic driving while Suzanne and Harry tried to soothe a wailing Hermione. When they arrived nurses surrounded the panicking family demanding information. Harry had relayed the story while a doctor took Hermione away with their mom in tow. While Dr. Granger had filled out the necessary information regarding Hermione's health, nine year old Harry Potter-Granger stood pacing throwing furtive glances at the double doors that hid his sister every few seconds. The wait had been agony, but eventually they emerged from the hospital with a still sobbing Hermione but with a cleaned and bandaged arm. They sat huddled together, Hermione clutching her arm while Harry held her tightly, as the doctors explained that an irregularity in the canine's teeth had left her lacerations jagged and would most likely scar. In an effort to cheer up his sobbing sister, Harry had whispered that their scars would match and everyone would now think they were really brother and sister when everyone saw it. He grinned in triumph when Hermione offered him a watery smile, and though her tears still shed there was true joy in her chocolate eyes when she looked at her brother.

When the bandages and stitches came off Hermione and Harry were ecstatic to realize that their scars did match with the exception that Hermione's was slight longer and was upside down, pointing to her heart. How a dog had managed to give her a scar in such an awkward place Hermione still couldn't figure out, but she figured it didn't matter anymore and left the strange occurrence alone. Besides, she grinned, there were other things to worry about and study. The proof of magic for example, was currently holding her and Harry's fullest attentions. It had been an odd discovery, true magic, but had it not been without the help of one Luna Lovegood they might never have figured it out. They had stumbled upon the small girl of seven years shortly after the death of her mother; Luna's magic had been unstable from the emotional trauma of witnessing her mothers' death and had accidentally attacked Harry after he found her crying in the meadow near their home. Utterly stunned by the girls' unnaturalness as well, Harry had stuttered his quick interrogation where a bashful Luna had apologized profusely, and brought him to her home to help fix his bruise and answer all of his questions. She had explained what it was that gave him the ability to do so many unnatural things and that –when the time came for it– he would attend a school designed to help him master his magic. A few hours of discussion, Harry returned home to relay the information to his sister after making Luna promise she would join him for dinner the next day.

Dinner was an unusual event, Luna had gladly answered all of Hermione's questions while asking a few herself. She told them about the Weasley's whom she visited on occasion and about the story of a boy named Harry Potter who was prophesized to be the Savior of the Wizarding world. The family of four had listened with rapt attention at the name of their son/brother but to say they weren't intrigued and terrified would be an understatement. Ever inquisitive, Hermione had set to work researching the differences of Muggle and Wizarding beliefs in magic, with Luna's odd input on the side. It was during the summer that they met with the Weasley clan (though they took care to hide Harry's appearance) and after proving –with some difficulty– that they did indeed have a talent for magic did they begin exercising their minds, trying to develop telepathy and hone their telekinesis.

It was an odd way of work, trying to find their way into the others mind and create a bond, but with Luna's and the Weasley's knowledge of Wizarding magic and Hermione's books on Muggle magic it became easier. The bonds of friendship grew between the youngest Weasley's as they swapped stories and experiences both Muggle and Magic alike. Ron and Ginevra became fast friends with the strange trio, and when the time came to reveal who exactly Harry was they handled the surprise with little eloquence. Ginny, who once confessed she had a bit of a fangirl crush on Harry Potter quickly vanished after she spent much time with Harry Granger and realized the brotherly affection she felt for him was one and the same. Ron had been ecstatic, grinning sheepishly that he had unknowingly befriended the most famous person in the modern Wizarding world next to Albus Dumbledore. Luna in all her strangeness has nodded distantly and made an off handed comment about nargles fooling everyone into thinking Harry was anyone other than himself. The statement had greatly confused the young group and they wisely chose to leave it at that.

By the time Harry's birthday rolled around, the boy could proudly say that he had genuine friends who loved him for him and not his apparent fame. Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Luna and a strangely quiet boy named Neville that Luna knew had found their way into his life and made a permanent home in his loyal heart. As their friendship grew into that of brother and sisterhood, Harry couldn't help but notice the changes they were all going through as they continued to spend their days together.

The shy, demure Neville was growing into a boy confident and caring in his beliefs, no longer worried about what people thought of him or the pity he received when people realized who his parents were when he had the best friends he could ever dream of watching his back. With the strenuous mental-magic training Hermione had them all go through, he one day hoped to free his parents of their insanity.

Luna and all her strange quirkiness still maintained her dreamy persona, but with the love of her friends, she toned down her oddities infinitesimally and gained an even stranger sense of humor after discovering sarcasm from a movie marathon held in the Granger-Potter household. It was never a dull day when Luna graced them all with her sarcastic dreamy presence, though none was more surprised than her father when he realized the change in her.

Ron, usually quiet and sullen gained the confidence he needed when he discovered his natural affinity for the mental exercises Hermione had them do each day and learned there was no reason to feel inadequate when he had friends who enjoyed him, for him. His parents and brothers had been pleasantly surprised (and disappointed) when they discovered that the twins' teasing didn't elicit a temper tantrum from the youngest male Weasley, and instead he added to their playful banter.

Ever studious, Hermione was slowly learning to enjoy life outside of her books and simply bask in the love of her friends and family. She still worked hard trying to find new ways to help her friends increase their potential in the psychological aspect of their magic, but it didn't really bother her when she came up short or stumbled into a dead end. Instead, she simply sat back and thought long and hard until she came up with another solution to her problem, often times coercing her friends to help with the puzzle. Harry had smiled when he overheard her and their parents' conversation over her birthday plans. She had actually requested new clothes and bit of hair product to tame her wild curls along with her usual gift cards to the bookstores she so loved. Still, even as he saw her improve and grow, there was a longing in her eyes that he caught late at night when she thought no one was looking that couldn't be explained…

Ginny, after growing out of her hero-worship of The-Famous-Harry-Potter, found she loved Harry just as he was –a brother she didn't need, but wanted more than anything. He was her best friend, and though her parents worried about her, Ginny knew there was nothing between them save sibling affection. She learned a great deal from her new friends; to them, she wasn't Ron's Little Sister nor was she The-Only-Weasley-Girl-For-Several-Generations. No, to them she was Ginny, proud and strong with the makings of a great woman in her. She was proud of who she was, not what she represented or who she was related to, and it showed in all of her actions.

As for Harry, well, he was sure he had changed a great deal from that scared little boy of six years old, to a now happy young man who knew of familial love at the tender age of nine. He was doted on by his parents, he had friends who knew of his fate and still stuck true to him, and there was nothing more he could ask for. Of course, there were days he moaned and wallowed in perpetual guilt about his future as a Savior but he knew his power stemmed from his friends and family and no matter who this Dark Lord was, he would come out victorious..

When Christmas found its way to them, they had all mastered their telepathy and held daily conversations with each other trying to find new ways to expand their magic and build defenses against unwanted eavesdroppers. Though Harry still despaired at the thought of having such a dire responsibility placed on his shoulders, his friends had managed to convince him to bury his fears while simultaneously prepare for what was to come. As it were, it seemed all six of the children were somehow linked as all bore the Mark of the Savior (as Ron had joking called it on the day he received his) through various freak accidents by the time they all turned nine. It was disconcerting, to young Harry, to have his friends bear the same scar as he somewhere on their bodies. They didn't mind of course, they perceived the scarring as a solidification of their friendship, a mark of true loyalty and love between all of them…

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**A/N **And that ladies and gents is chapter 2. Long awaited (2 whole years, long awaited) and...ridiculously long. 0-o Wow...how many words is that? 6,161. -whistles- dayum

Y'all better enjoy this chapter! Blood and sweat and tears...and and broken nails from typing too fast went into the making of this! (;


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